Device for opening boxes.



PATEN'I'ED JUNE 11, 1907.

J. E. LEE.

DEVICE FOR OPENING BOXES.

APPLICATION rum) FEB. 19, 1907.

WITNESSES ATTO RN EYS UNITE STATES PATENT UFFICE,

DEVICE FOR OPENING BOXES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed February 19,1907. Serial lilo. 358,232.

To all 'wlwnt it may concern:

Be it known that I, JonN ELLWOOD Liin, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in Conshohocken, in the county of Montgomery, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Opening Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to boxes and particularly to metal boxes adapted to be herinetically sealed for containing antiseptic dressings.

The object of my invention is to provide a convenient and efficient means for opening the same.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box with portion of its side broken away to illustrate my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of a box with portion of its side broken away; and Fig. 3 is a similar view on a larger scale partially in section.

It is not unusual to open boxes by means of a string or wire placed beneath a wrapper.

used to secure the detachable top and bottom of the box together; or even beneath the surface of the box itself. But it has been found that such a device is unsatisfactory when used in a sealed box having its top and bottom soldered or similarly secured to the sides, unless some means are taken to guide the wire in a definite line of cleavage. Unless great care is taken in pulling the wire to open a box of this sort the wire is very apt to run off to one side and become obstructed by the solder which frequently spreads somewhat from the joint which it secures.

The object of my invention is to provide suitable means for guiding the wire so that its line of cleavage'is clear of the solder.

Referring to the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I provide the side of the box 5 under which the wire is placed, with a groove 6, at a point which is practically sure to be unobstructed by the solder. If the wire 7 be secured within the groove, it will follow' the same as a line of cleavage when pulled by means of a suitable handle 10 attached to or forming part of the end of the wire which projects outside of the box. This is particularly sure to be true if the contents of the box 9 so completely [ill the same as to exert a pressure against the wire and thus hold it in place in the groove. Since this is not always the case however, it is advisable to provide a strip 8 of firm material, heavy paper is sullicient, to be placed against the wire for the purpose of securing it within the groove. This may be carried by the package forming the contents of the box, but is preferably secured to the box itself, in which case the wire will be held in the groove without regard to the size or nature of the contents of the box. The same end may be accomplished if the strip 8 be made of suilicient width to extend only to the groove. If the wire tends to run out of the latter, it meets the strip 8 and is guided along its edge in the groove, the strip in this case acting as a guide instead of exerting a pressure upon the wire to hold it in the groove.

IVhile I have described myinvention with relation to a metal box and a wire it is obvious that the device maybe adapted to a box made of other material and a filament of any suitable material be substituted for the wire.

I claim as my invention 1. In a box adapted to be hermetically sealed, means for opening the same, said means consisting of a filament secured beneath and in a groove in a surface of the box, an independent backing strip clamped inside the box to hold said filament in the groove and means to actuate the filament from outside the box.

2. In a box adapted to be hermetically sealed, means for opening the same, said means consisting of a filament secured beneath and in a groove in a surface of the box, an independent backing strip of different material clamped inside the box to hold said filament in the groove and means to actuate the filament from outside the box.

3. In a box having independent end and side pieces and adaptedto be hermetically sealed, means for opening the same, said means consisting of a filament secured beneath and in a groove in the side piece, an independent backing piece clamped at the joint of said side and end piece and adapted to hold said filament in the groove and means to actuate the filament from outside the box.

4. In a boX adapted to be hermetically I In testimony whereof I have signed my sealed, means for opening the same, said name to this specification, in the presence of IO means consisting of a filament secured betwo subscribing Witnesses. neath and in a roove in a surface of the boX and an indepen dent backing strip adapted td i JOHN ELLWOOD be pressed against said filament by the conl/Vitnesses:

tents of the boXso as to hold said filament in M. E. l/VRIGHT, the groove, substantially as described. E. M. LEWIS. 

